


My Soldier

by Siriuslymoon



Category: Marvel, Marvel (Comics), Marvel Cinematic Universe
Genre: Artist Steve Rogers, Hurt Tony Stark, M/M, Post-Serum Steve Rogers, Protective Steve Rogers, Soldier Steve Rogers, Steve Rogers Needs a Hug, Steve Rogers military, Tony Stark Needs a Hug, Tony Stark is bad at feelings, hug them, longish fic, militarily fic, slow burn?
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2018-05-18
Updated: 2018-05-18
Packaged: 2019-05-08 15:09:55
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,204
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/14696730
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Siriuslymoon/pseuds/Siriuslymoon
Summary: Tony doesn’t deal well with abandonment- in any form.Especially being left alone for long periods of time, with extremely limited contact.So it’s a major inconvenience that his best friend is a soldier, and an even bigger inconvenience when he Unknowingly falls in love with one.





	My Soldier

Chapter One 

 

“Yes I’m walking there now... no I’m not lying!... Rhodey I’m not still in bed I promise- okay that was one time you really need to let things go-“ Tony shook his head, pressing the phone closer to his ear as he weaved through the swarm of people covering the streets.

He had promised to meet up with Rhodey again before he got shipped out, some Air Force mission that he wouldn’t tell Tony anything about even though they both knew a few taps on a keyboard and he’d soon find out everything.

Something Rhodey, and his chiefs at the Air Force have strongly advised Tony not to do.

 

Which of course just made tony want to do it that little bit more.

 

But he humoured Rhodey, promising that he wouldn’t poke his nose in, or do anything illegal while he was gone- They both knew it was a lie, Like he wasn’t going to check everything out thoroughly before blindly sending his best friend out into a war zone.

Not that he could do much to stop him leaving of course, except cry and beg.

Which he tried, once. 

Didn’t work.

On another occasion he had spent two weeks designing and building an iron suit for Rhodey to wear as protection when on the battlefield- before promptly realising how ridiculous he was being and shoving it away in his lab.

He was thinking about the suit when he heard someone call out his name, the voice familiar and rather comforting.

 

“Oi Tony you dickhead, turn around”

 

Ahh yes, the eloquent words of Clint Barton.

 

They put a smile on Tony’s face as he turned to meet his friend, someone he had went to college with and stayed it touch for the recent years afterwards. 

Even at twenty six they still spoke, and met up frequently enough for Tony to comfortably label him a good friend.

“If it isn Tony Stark, out on the streets like a peasant” Clint was smirking, eyes lit with mischief until he got close enough to wrap tony up in a hug, squeezing just enough to be comfortable.

“I was on these streets less than a month ago to come celebrate your birthday bow boy, how is your gift working out by the way?” Tony asked, not yet noticing the wall of muscle stood beside Clint, staring awkwardly at the ground.

Clint lit up, body vibrating as he told Tony about everything he had been shooting with his new bow, and all the tricks he had mastered- like Tony didn’t already know; he was unfortunately part of a group chat which mostly consisted of videos of Clint doing new stunts which would one day definitely land him in the hospital.

Clint seemed to realise, mid sentence, that he didn’t come out alone on this particular day and that he was being awfully rude towards his friend.

“Oh god,” he turned to look at his friend “I completely forgot introductions! I’m so used to everyone knowing everyone- especially Tony Stark”

Steve had heard that name to be fair, thrown around in debates about fuelling the war and weapons productions- but he didn’t listen to gossip, not when those involved weren’t there to defend themselves.

“Steve this is Tony Stark, we went to college together and I haven’t been able to shake him since-“

Steve watched as Tony’s lips shook until his face gave up and let them smile, his whole body relaxing. 

“Oh please you’re the leach”

He was very attractive, Steve noticed offhandedly; all smooth tan skin and carefully styled dark hair, his eyes soft in comparison to the sharpness of his outfit.

And his smile could certainly take your breath away.

“And Tony this is Steve, we grew up together and he’s staying with me while he’s in town for a few days on break from-“

Steve doesn’t know why he cut in, he wouldn’t figure that out til later, but he did and thankfully Clint seemed to go with it.

“-From work, visiting family” Steve stretched his arm out, his hand wrapping around Tony’s as he shook it, fingers grazing the skin.

Tony matched Steve’s smile until they were both stood there grinning, hands still pressed together, Tony’s skin warm against his palm.

It was Steve who pulled away first, though the smile still stained his lips.

“I wish I could stay and chat,” Tony rushed and despite knowing him for less than a minute- Steve knew he was being truthful.

“But I’ve got to meet Rhodey, he’s shipping off tomorrow and we gotta do some best friend bonding before then” Clint nodded in understanding, and Steve stood still, not wanting to project anything.

“But, I’ll be free tomorrow, maybe we could all meet up and have coffee?” He asked, turning to Steve “you too blonde, I’ve got so many embarrassing Clint stories I’m sure you’d love “

Steve’s heart stuttered and he stumbled out a reply, Clint following suit with an agreement to the plans.

“Great! See you two tomorrow” he rushed off, sending them one last wave before he was out of sight.

“He seems nice” Steve told Clint once they had resumed their walk to his home.

Clint nodded before grinning and adding “he’s probably drunk”

Which earned him a slap on the arm from Steve “Don’t be mean”

“I wasn’t- never mind.. hey was there a reason you didn’t say where you where on break from?” Clint asked as they turned a corner, his eyes scanning over Steve’s face, voice careful. 

Steve shrugged, spine tight and shoulders tense “Didn’t see the relevance”

“Will there be any relevance for it tomorrow” Steve knew what Clint was asking, would Steve bring up his job tomorrow, or rather- would he appreciate Clint brining it up.

“I don’t think so, no”

“Okay, that’s fine- totally weird.. but totally fine” he grinned, slinging an arm round Steve’s shoulder and walking the rest of the way holding him in his grasp.

—

“You’re two minutes late” Rhodey the human clock, announced the second Tony had sat down in front of him, skin still damp from his run to get there.

“Oh god coach, what will this do to my score record?” Tony gripped his friends arms, gaping at him.

“Will I make the team?”

“Oh shut up- get off me You weirdo” he still smiled fondly before shoving tony off and picking up a menu from the centre of the table.

“So, I’m gone for six months this time, very limited call opportunities” he dove right in, staring at tony over his menu.

Tony stiffened, his jaw clenching as he nodded “I agree Rhodes the chicken does look great”

It most certainly didn’t- why did they pick this restaurant?

Rhodey sighed, exasperated and insisted “Tony stop “

“Stop What?” Tony asked, eyes wide with faux innocence.

“You know what, stop it tones” Rhodey was talking carefully now- as though his friend were one strong wind away from falling from a ledge

Rhodey held his breath as Tony snapped, forcing his menus down on the table and glaring at the man opposite.

“I don’t know what your talking about” he hissed, before shifting his gaze to anything and everything that wasn’t his best friend.

“You know what- you get all angry and defensive every time I ship off, tony it’s okay -“ Rhodey started.

Tony picked his menu back up and strategically hid his face from Rhodey’s prying eyes- 

“it’s not okay, because no matter how many times we do this it always feels like the first, it’s always me watching my best friend go out into a war zone. Go to be killed, or captured, or tortured ...No matter the cause or the motive or whatever else, it’s always gonna hurt me Rhodey and it’s sure as hell always gonna terrify me”

Tony realised long ago that his behaviour to his friends occupation was ridiculous, that there were pregnant wife’s who dealt with their soldiers absence far better than he could dream to.

But For the longest time it was just Tony and Rhodey, Rhodey was the only constant in a life of inconstant.

The only company in a lot of absence.

They lived together, grew up together, they’re meant to grow old together- live down the same lane with their families. Have cringey barbecues, and group outings.

They need to see each other get married, have kids, live.

Rhodey needs to see Tony finally have a stable relationship- to know he’s gonna be fine.

Right now tony felt anything but fine.

“ I’ll be okay tones” Rhodey places his hand on Tony’s arm, stilling the trembles for a small fraction of a moment.

“You can’t promise that” he bit out in response, chest burning behind his skin.

Rhodey shook his head, taking their menus and putting them back before pulling Tony up and steering them out of the resteraunt. 

“Change of plans, we’re watching movies at your place and ordering pizza, okay?”

Tony was definitely okay with that.

“Never leave me” though he was joking, it would be hard to ignore the serious plea within its undertones 

Rhodey turned to him. Smiling but serious.

“i never will tony”

 

Rhodey left that morning, and Tony was still hidden under his blankets, sprawled out on the couch- when Clint called.

He wiped his face groggily and grabbed for his phone, seeing where rhodey had plugged it in before he left.

“Tony, we still on for today?” Clints voice filtered through, light and breezy compared to the heaviness of Tony’s current mood.

He knew he should say yes, that he should just go out and forget about everything- but he was an idiot.

“I don’t know Clint”

Clint paused and then “Rhodey left this morning yeah?” 

Tony nodded and then rushed to cough out a yes.

“Well then” Clint hummed thoughtfully “we’ll pick you up in an hour- oh and go shower you probably stink”

And then he hung up.

Tony’s lips pricked with the urge to grin, but he suppressed it, and made his way to the shower.

 

—

 

Steve pulled a shirt over his head, correcting the mess it caused his hair whilst Clint was on the phone.

He had just finished smoothing out the flyaways when Clint entered the spare room, lounging against the doorframe and looking at Steve with a determined gaze.

Steve waited for him to speak but nothing came, soon enough he caved and with a sigh asked his friend what he wanted.

“You’re smiling like a loon, what do you want?... oh god have you farted” 

“What? No!” He reeled back in surprise, staring at Steve in disbelief.

“So brash” he muttered, skulking over to Steve’s sofa bed and chucking himself down.

He resumed studying Steve, narrowing his eyes in obvious thought.

“What did your friend say? Tony was it?” Steve prompted, sitting beside Clint on the bed and joining him in staring.

Clint scoffed and nudged at Steve’s thigh “you know damn well his name is Tony”

Steve felt his cheeks flush, but his expression remained stoic as he stared Clint down.

“But yeah he’s up for it- at least he will be once we get over there” Clint pushed himself up and headed for the exit.

 

Steve stood, confused by his friends words, and a tad concerned for this strangers well being.

He remembered what Tony had said about some ‘Rhodey’ about how he was shipping off.

Steve knew how painful that could be, how it could leave you numb for days after- and something in his heart ached for Tony knowing he had to go through it.

“If he isn’t up to it, we should leave him-“ Steve started, but Clint stepped back in front of him, looking a hell of a lot more serious than before.

“No, that would be the worst thing, leaving Stark to his own Brain and his own company is one of the worst things right now”

He paused, and sighed.

“Look Steve, I know you don’t know this guy- but I do. I know we can’t leave him today.”

Steve doesn’t remember a time he’d ever seen Clint look so sincere and determined- except maybe that one Halloween when he had been challenged to an Apple bobbing contest.

He often caught glimpses of the Clint he knew from childhood in the man before him now, memories of him, Sam and Bucky joining him in whatever task Steve set himself.

‘Missions’ as they called them.

And he was seeing that young boy now, the fierce protective streak that ran through him- fuelled by rage and loss, but thriving for love and devotion.

Steve remembers the time he’d been punched down, looking up to see that very look in clint’s eyes- right before he knocked whoever had hurt Steve to the ground.

And it was there now, swimming beneath clints lashes as he gazed up at Steve.

That told Steve everything he would ever need to know about Tony Stark, he knew within a blink that this man was worth it- that Clint was devoted.

“You like missions- think of this as one”

Steve paused.

“Mission cheer up Tony Stark?” He asked, eyebrows raised.

Clint chuckled, “mission cheer up Tony Stark”


End file.
